Letters to the editor: Oct. 8

Tired of Daniels, J&C goes after Rokita

Aided and abetted by The Associated Press, and no doubt encouraged by their masters at Gannett newspapers, the Journal & Courier seems to derive a perverse pleasure in beating up on prominent Republicans. Recently they joined the left-wing core of Purdue University professors, including a four-time election loser and "guest" contributor, in repeatedly and unjustly picking on Purdue President Mitch Daniels. Now their focus has shifted to Congressman Todd Rokita. What kind of journalistic integrity and balance does this display? Will there be jobs for certain J&C staff at the New York Times, Washington Post and Los Angeles Times, all of which are equally biased local rags (albeit with bumped up reputations)?

This week, Rokita voted with the U.S. House to pass legislation funding veterans programs, the National Guard, the National Institutes of Health, Women and Infants and Children assistance, and our national parks and monuments. The Senate hasn't even scheduled these bills. The truth of the matter is that the president and Harry Reid refuse to negotiate with anyone. One of their major recent accomplishments was declaring "National Chess Week."

No one wanted this shutdown, least of all Rokita, but he and his colleagues are the only ones trying to fix it. Per month, government revenue is $225 billion, while net interest on public debt is only $20.4 billion. If a default occurs, it will only be because the president has failed to prioritize debt interest payment. He needs to park the campaign bus and lead the country.

David Bridges

West Lafayette

Rep. Rokita, get beyond ideological war

To U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita: In your Rokita Report of Oct. 5, you open by stating, "We are here because the Senate and president won't talk." More correctly, we are here directly because of your actions and a small group of Republicans who choose to subvert the republic through undemocratic means. The Senate and the president are doing their job in rebuffing your extreme position.

Your newsletter goes on to launch into a series of so-called lies about the Affordable Care Act. On one level, I suspect or hope that you know these are half-truths at best. On the other hand, I fear that you have truly bought into an agenda that is simply unpersuaded by facts and is beholden to ideologically extreme interests.

You should be voting to fund the entire government without political conditions and honoring the debt of the United States rather than conducting ideological war.

Ken Jones

Lafayette

Bangert's piece on Rokita was unfair

I'm done playing "nice" with J&C columnist Dave Bangert. His Oct. 4 piece, starting on the front page, was enough to put me over the edge. Instead of his opinion being on the page of same name, half of the front page was taken by a big photo and his inflammatory rantings, attacking our duly elected U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita. If Bangert wants to compete for space on the op-ed page of the paper, he should ask for it from the management. That management should certainly grant that request, considering that other much more insightful columns are abbreviated and readers need to resort to the Internet, regardless if they have computer access or not.

It is completely apparent to me that Bangert's comments are not that of an unbiased journalist but are manifestations of his left-oriented training in the People's Republic of Boulder (Colorado) - an ally of the People's Republic of Bloomington, nearby.

Readers: Please re-read his column of Oct. 4 and tell me if that was objective reporting or if that was an attempt to discredit a duly elected representative of the people of this district. Six times he used "Why should Rokita worry?" That alone displays an agenda on the part of the writer. Now that Bangert referred to our U.S. representative without even "Mr.," he deserves no less. Did Bangert's piece include an objective rebuttal to his comments? No! Did Bangert reflect the "other side" of the argument? No! Bangert stated, "He's (U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita) still pulling a paycheck ..." Please observe that so is the inept, useless president who refuses to negotiate with the House; so are Sen. Harry Reid (the bullheaded self-aggrandizing egotist), Rep. Nancy Pelosi (a billionairess) and all the others who pretend to be on the citizens' side but continue to suck on the taxpayers' nipples.

Don't bother to attack my thoughts in your letters: I will be out-of-state long enough not to "enjoy" the liberals' delirious hand-wringing.

Dieter Hantschel

Rural Delphi

Where's that Nobel Peace Prize now?

If I remember correctly, in his first term (very early), President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize. Maybe he should try using it to settle the fights at the capital.

J. Scott Huddleston

Lafayette

J&C, your bias is showing

You guys at the Journal & Courier are so predictable. You whine about Mitch Daniels for awhile, then when the Mitch news gets slow, you switch to U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita. And back and forth you go. No bias in your newsroom, eh?

Tony Lee

Oxford

Throttle the tea party temper tantrum

The government shutdown results from a tea party temper tantrum. TPTTers (such as Grover Norquist, Ted Cruz, Todd Rokita) own the ball, bought and paid for by the Koch Brothers and other billionaires, thanks to the un-Supreme Court's 5-4 Citizen's United decision. TPTTers won't let anyone play and plan to shut down the government unless they get their way.

TPTT extremists didn't want the superior health care model called Romneycare to work for the nation - check it out; 98% of Massachusetts residents have health care they like at reasonable cost. TPTTers manipulated Romney into denying the suitability of Romneycare for the nation, by threatening to block his nomination for president. Romney might have won in 2012 if he hadn't had to reject his own signature achievement as a model. TPTTers prefer to deny health care to millions and block sensible provisions that help people with pre-existing conditions and catastrophic illnesses, etc. Billionaires like the Koch Brothers benefit from the country's greatest income inequality since 1929, so they don't worry if the TPTTers tip America into another Depression. Gutless House Speaker John Boehner is afraid to challenge these characters lest he lose his position as third in line for the presidency.

TPTTers fear that the Affordable Care Act will be a significant success, like Medicare has been, and lead to their defeats in future elections, because of their exaggerations and lies. We need to throttle the TPTTers, demand that the shutdown be lifted and the debt ceiling be raised - or risk a downward slide toward a national and worldwide Depression.

Richard C. Nelson

West Lafayette

Fear for my nation against zealots

I fear for my country.

I fear that the shutdown in Washington, D.C., has ushered in a new era of "government by anarchy." I fear my great nation has entered into era in which a very small group of zealots backed by people and groups holding great quantities of power, influence and money are able to hold my country in economic hostage because of an aversion to a single, legally enacted law of the land.

I fear the motives of this small tribe of zealots. If they had made their stand against a law that imprisoned citizens of Japanese ancestry, or a law that condemned dark-skinned people to involuntary servitude, or a law that disenfranchised people of the Jewish faith, then maybe I could have some understanding of their biases.

But, alas, the infamous law that has stirred this small tribe of zealots to action is one that hopes only to make the blessings of health care available and affordable to each and every member of this nation - a nation that I love and cherish.

Yes, I fear for my country.

David L. Fry

Lafayette

Which side is J&C on with campus drinking?

A story is published that brings up concerns of weekend drinking on campus. At the same time, Eye Spy pictures are published of every Breakfast Club.

What is the J&C's real position on this issue?

Bernie Kroll

Lafayette

Invest in stopping Americus quarry now

I would like to voice my strong opposition to the proposed Rogers Group stone quarry that will be located on Old Indiana 25, just north of Americus. Just when you think corporate greed and arrogance could not get any worse, along comes a company like the Rogers Group to prove you wrong.

This stone quarry, complete with blasting, will be located within a tenth of a mile from of a dozen or more homes. At least another 300 to 400 homes within a two-mile range and Americus will be affected. These homes will be subject to dust, noise, increased truck traffic and water problems. With this constant blasting operation, it will be a matter of when, not if people have problems with their water and wells.

People living in and around Ben La Del and Wintergreen should be very concerned with the stone quarry located so close and down hill from them. If you have not gotten involved with the Americus Area Community Coalition, I strongly urge you to do so. This group has done a tremendous amount of work to stop the stone quarry. We can all get involved and spend a small amount of money and time now to stop the stone quarry or a great amount of money and worry later when problems arise. Are you willing to have a company like the Rogers Group as your neighbor for the next 50 or more years?

Bill Marcussen

Americus area

Difficult to accept same-sex marriage

Same-sex marriage is a hot item that needs a solution now. This marriage dilemma has consumed lots of heated conversations, has politicians siding with whomever gets them the most votes, and now the courts are involved. It will be a mistake for the law to decide 100 percent in favor of or against same sex marriage. A solution is needed that does not degrade anyone's present or future marriage. I'm sure that most married couples and those that plan on marriage find it extremely difficult to accept that their marriage is identical to a same-sex married couple. Men and women are different.

A major part of the conflict could be eliminated by having a certificate for the marriage between a man and woman, a separate certificate for two men and a certificate for two women. With this arrangement, a couple with any one of the three certificates would be considered married and eligible for married couple benefits.

In the future you may see a woman marrying her Saint Bernard or a man marrying his pet ewe. If bestiality is officially approved (or any other bazaar activity), the different certificates for each variety of matrimony will simplify the process. The present problem will be solved (for most) and future changes easily achieved.

Jack Ward

Monticello

Quality of Journal & Courier sinking

The Journal and Courier newspaper used to be a good small town newspaper. Due to the recent changes, it is now just a small town newspaper.

Kenneth Smith

West Lebanon

Academic freedom when it agrees with you

The following quote was in the Exponent concerning the rationale behind allowing Bill Ayers to speak at Purdue. "No matter the views that Purdue students, faculty and staff might have on Ayers' appearance, (Liberal Arts Dean Irwin) Weiser said it's important for them to keep in mind that seeing a variety of perspectives and ideas can be beneficial, even if they're controversial." However, just a few months earlier when asked why creationism isn't taught along with evolution, it was reported that they were concerned that it might confuse the students. Do you suppose anyone noticed the inconsistency in the decision making process concerning these two situations?

When a speaker or subject benefits their world view, they believe everyone should be open minded and willing to listen to both sides. But when someone with an opposing point of view asks for equal time, they are concerned that students might be harmed by hearing both sides of an issue. So what is so hard to understand about this issue that it could confuse our future world leaders? Science teaches that everything came about naturally (without God) over billions of years. The Bible teaches that everything was created by God in six days.

Critical thinking is very important in the sciences. But when it comes to the theory of evolution, the other side cannot be heard because one cannot introduce God into a godless theory. Does that sound like a scientific approach to you?